The Essence of Ginevra
by Wolfshadow31
Summary: Harry's fallen for Ginny, but she is with someone else.  What happens when Ginny overhears a secret confession when Harry thinks he is all alone?  Will he ever experience...the Essence of Ginevra?  Rated M for a reason.
1. Wanting Ginevra

**The Essence of Ginevra**

_Harry's fallen for Ginny, but she is with someone else. What happens when Ginny overhears a secret confession when Harry thinks he is all alone? Will he ever experience...the essence of Ginevra?_

Harry was at the Burrow, staying with the rest of the Weasley's. He much preferred this arrangement than staying with his Aunt and Uncle. He'd never got along with them, the Dursley's, or their oaf of a son, Dudley. Today was one of the few days he was alone. The new semester at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was only a few days away. Harry was eagerly looking forward to it. He and the rest of the Weasley's were supposed to go shopping for their semester school supplies, but he had felt ill that morning. He had apologized to the rest of the Weasley's and said he would go shopping for his the next day. They reluctantly agreed. So with that, it was one of the few times that Harry had found himself alone at the Burrow, and was now sitting at the kitchen table. But today, school, or shopping for the semester's supplies was the last thing on his mind. On his mind at the moment was...

"Ginevra..." he whispered softly.

Ginevra, or Ginny as she was usualy called, was the Weasley's youngest child, and only daughter. Harry was very good friends with Ron, and the twins Fred and George Weasley, although the latter two were slightly older than Ron and himself.

He thought of the name again. Ginevra. He always called her Ginny when they spoke. Although, much to his frustration, they didn't speak nearly as often now as he would have liked. Their relationship had evolved over the few years they'd known each other. At first, Ginny couldn't get two words out to him. He being the Boy who Lived, and she having a schoolgirl crush on him - she'd been so nervous around him that she could barely be in the same room with him without dropping something, or putting her elbow in the butter dish. Harry smiled at the recollection of Ginny's awkwardness around him when they'd first met. He had some experience in this regard lately, he thought ironically.

Eventually, Ginny and he had formed a sort of friendship. She had gotten over her shyness, and saw Harry as a person, and not as a famous figure. They would talk, but Harry felt uneasy around her. He liked Ginny then, but Ron, his best friend and her older brother, seemed to watch him like a hawk whenever the two were together. He tried his best to hide it, but let's face it - Ron never was good at being discrete about anything. Harry's lips turned into a smile as he thought about Ron being discrete. Other times, Ron gave up the discrete act altogether, and purposely stood, or sat between Ginny and him as if to act as a physical barrier between them.

Now even older, Ginny had discovered boys on her own at Hogwarts. This fact was much to Ron's chagrin. He wasn't happy about Ginny having boyfriends, being a protective older brother, but he didn't actively try to isolate her from them, as he always did with Harry. Ginny had already dated a few fellow Hogwarts students already, and he himself had kind of pursued Cho. His stomach kind of fluttered a bit, at his memory of how awkward, and foolish he must have looked. He had a hard time talking, or acting around Cho at the beginning. He definitely empathised with Ginny's behaviour of years ago.

Cho...he had liked her at first. But after a few dates, he realized it was not to be. He just didn't feel that spark. And being a wizard, Harry had some experience with sparks. He wanted to feel, not to put too fine a point on it,_ magic_! And not because he was a wizard studying magic. He wanted to feel that magical feeling of love - of loving someone with all your heart, and them returning the emotion. He wanted to experience all the grand feelings, and accomplishments that two people in love could experience. Oh Lord...his thoughts were starting to sound like a romance novel, he thought as he chuckled lightly. So far, the only person who fit that description in his mind was...

"Ginevra..." he whispered again.

He thought about the name once more. It was weird how he said it. He never called her Ginevra. It was always Ginny. But when he thought of her, like this, he always called her by her proper name. He couldn't explain why. It just felt right for him to do so. It was different, it was interesting, it was...so much like her, he sighed. He closed his eyes now.

His thoughts drifted to Ginevra. He formed a mental picture of her now in his mind. Her eyes...they seemed to stare right into his soul. Her lips were curled into a soft smile, as they often were while they were together. Her luscious lips, they looked so soft. how many times had he imagined kissing them? He longed to feel his lips against hers. Her cheeks were pale and soft. Sometimes theyt would tinge slightly pink when she got embarassed. That soft blush on her cheek had so often sent his heart racing. Her hair - it was perfect. It looked so soft, like strands of fine silk, had been woven specifically for her. In his mind, not a single hair was out of place. It was perfect, just like her. The mental picture in his mind of Ginevra, made his knees wobbly. All he wanted...was to love her!

He'd come to this startling revelation some time ago. He couldn't explain how it happened - it just did. Ginny, to him, began to evolve from someone he hung around with, to someone he wanted to be with. And from there, all the little things she'd do, that made her Ginevra - and that he probably never noticed before, or took for granted, he began to notice. The way she absently played with her hair while she studied, and her delicate ivory coloured fingers gently ran through her hair, intoxicated him. It was as if everything she did, was designed to pull him closer and closer to her, until he realized that this was the woman he just had to be with. Well, maybe he was overdoing it a tad, but it was not far from the truth. Honestly, almost everything she did seemed to please him. When she laughed, it was music to his ears. She was not part Veela, but she may as well have been as far as he was concerned because each time she laughed it was like the sweetest song sung by a choir of Angels.

So this is how it happened that Harry had now found himself wanting to be with Ginny Weasley, but he was pretty sure that she did not reciprocate the feelings. She felt comfortable with him, but she now treated him as a friend, or only slightly different - as her brother's friend. She didn't look at him the same way she had when she was younger. She wasn't nervous around him now, as she used to be. The roles were reversed it seemed. "What a cruel twist of a joke" Harry thought to himself as he pondered this.

And what topped it all off, was that Ginny was already dating someone else! She was dating Michael Corner now - a Ravenclaw Quidditch player. Harry sighed again. He was sighing a lot lately. It probably had a lot to do with thinking of Ginevra all the time, he reminded himself, unnecessarily. This was hopeless. Harry wasn't really sick today...he was heartsick. The feeling of knowing and watching who you're supposed to be with, as they are with someone else, was more than he could bare. He just needed to be alone with his misery. He folded his arms on the table, and thumped his head down hard onto them in frustration, causing the silverware on the table to rattle.

"Oh Ginevra...why can't I just be with you? You're the one I want..!" he said aloud, frustrated now beyond all measure.

In the next room, and unknown to Harry, Ginny Weasley's eyes opened wide at this accidentally overheard confession. Her soft expression of a smile she had worn a moment ago instantly disappeared as her jaw dropped. She took a sharp intake of breath, and then held her hand to her mouth, as if to stifle any more noise at all. She dared not to breath, or even move now. Her pulse began to speed out of control until her blood was thundering in her head. Her heart and stomach both felt like they were doing backflips. She couldn't believe what Harry had said.

"I'm the one he wants?" she thought to herself.

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review! It gives me the motivation to keep writing, and it only takes a few seconds. ;) There will be more chapters, if I feel sufficiently motivated to continue the story. *hint hint!* **


	2. Ginny's Reaction

**Ginny's Reaction**

**A/N: Pointless Author's Note time. I wrote these chapters listening to "The Harold Song" by Ke$ha. I guess you could almost say it was referring to Harry(Harold) lol, but when I listen to it when I write, I always call it "The Ginny Song" in my head. It's how I imagine Harry thinking about not being with Ginny. To my mind - Ginny is his everything. :-D**

"I'm the one he wants?" she thought to herself.

Ginny was in shock. She couldn't breathe, move, or focus. Her vision clouded before her, and her knees were weak. Having just overheard, unbeknownst to Harry, his secret confession, she was literally left stunned and speechless. And the worst part, was that now that she knew, how could she let Harry know that she knew, without him knowing that she already knew. She shook her head slightly at this very confusing thought. Wow. This was getting complicated quickly.

Her day had literally been turned upside down by this startling revelation she'd just overheard. Unfortunately, and unknown to Harry, Ginny had made plans to meet Michael in Diagon Alley in a few days time to shop for their term supplies. As such, she didn't leave with her parents that morning. So there she was, all alone in the house with Harry, and Harry didn't know it. Ginny wasn't sure what she could do to get out of this mess she found herself in. She considered a bunch of scenarios of getting back upstairs, and pretending that she'd not heard anything. But then...she HAD heard something. And it was the biggest something she could possibly think of!

She wasn't sure how she thought of Harry. Although, in the light of the last minute or so, her views on Harry Potter were beginning to change. It was true that she was with Michael Corner. It was also true that she once fancied Harry. But Harry had always seemed friendly around her, if a little uncomfortable, and had never shown any inkling of returning the feelings she had for him. Maybe he had just been too young, too awkward, to shy to say anything? True, she was younger than him, but growing up in a house full of older brothers, two of them bona fide pranksters, caused her to grow up pretty fast! Was Harry just not ready at that time for a girlfriend? She wasn't sure of the exact answer, or if she would ever find out...but what did it matter now? He definitely seemed to be more than interested in her now, although that in itself was a bit of a puzzle to her.

When had Harry's feelings for her changed, she wondered. Even if he did want to be with her, he hadn't really shown it to her. Why was he keeping his feelings a secret from her? Maybe because he knew she was with Michael? Maybe he thought she would be happier without him? Maybe he thought she would be safer without him? She wasn't sure of the answers to these questions either. She pushed them out of her mind, and tried to calm her racing heartbeat. She had to focus on how to get out of the room without Harry knowing she was there.

Harry. Harry Potter. Her mind was focused on his image now. The boy who lived. The boy she had her first crush on. The boy she eventually gave up on pursuing. She could see his eyes now. Sparkling as green as emeralds...they seemed to call out to her. She studied this image curiously. Those eyes...so deep, they'd seen so much already in his young life. His eyes glowed with an inviting warmth that she hadn't thought about for a long time. His hair - it was always a mess. But was it? Maybe it was just ordered chaos. She could imagine it now, how it seemed to go this way and that, but with a sort of unknown rhythm of it's own. What would it be like to run her fingers through his hair? What would it be like to smile at him as she did so, and stare into those endless emerald eyes? Ginny's knees were getting weak now as she thought of these things.

The image of him in her mind smiled at her. His smile...it too was inviting her in. His lips seemed to shine, and beckon her to them. "You make me happy Ginny" they seemed to say. "I always smile when I'm with you..." she could almost hear him saying now. Ginny's eyes began to flutter now as she began to think about Harry like this.

Images of Harry through the years began to flash through her mind now in rapid succession. That cute nervous little boy she'd first seen at platform 9 3/4 when Ron had first left for school. The image of Harry in the Chamber of Secrets as he had rescued her from Tom Riddle, and the Basilisk. He'd been so young, and he'd already saved her life. She could see him flying on his broom now. The youngest Seeker in a century! The way he moved, with such grace and precision. The Tri-Wizard tournament - he'd been underage, and still managed to defeat all the challenges set before him. She focused on the image of his face again. Was there nothing Harry couldn't do? She thought about Harry training the Hogwarts students how to fight the Dark Arts in secret, and how calm he was as he guided them in the use of counter spells, and ways to defend themselves against Voldemort's agents. He'd seemed so confident, and so controlled even in the face of darkness. Was there no obstacle he was not destined to overcome? Harry Potter had more adventure, and brushes with death for a young man than any one person ought to have in their entire life, let alone that he was still only a teenager.

Ginny snapped out of her thoughts suddenly as she heard more silverware rattling from the adjacent kitchen. She should get out of here before Harry finds out that she'd heard him. She could creep up the stairs silently, and then make a show of loudly coming down them, and pretending that she had not heard a thing. Or she could wait for Harry to go upstairs or something, and then pretend she was outside, and just coming in the front door, and let him know that she hadn't gone shopping with her parents but was out for a walk. Maybe that would work? Something was nagging her though. If she did that, then everything would go back to the way it was. Did she really want that? The question really amounted to - did she want to be with Harry or Michael?

She liked Michael. She wouldn't have still been dating him otherwise. But did she love him? Did she really foresee a future with him? True, she was only young, and it was pretty early to be considering such far-reaching things, but she did it anyway. She liked Harry too, but it had been a long time since she had ever thought about him other than as friends. But she was left with no other choice really. He didn't seem to be interested in her, the way she was him, so was forced to move on and find someone else. Had she ever really got over him? She knew the answer before she even thought about it. No, she hadn't. She had managed to push those feelings deep down inside her, and keep them hidden for awhile, but every once in awhile Harry would do something, say something, or look at her, and she would remember. She would remember what it was like to want to be with Harry, and it would make her sad to think it would not be so.

The biggest betrayal of her hidden feelings occured while she slept. She often dreamt of Harry. Harry, the one who had saved her in the Chamber of Secrets. She remembered being so scared, and afraid - crying with fear. And there was Harry...just a boy himself, had willingly entered the Chamber, battled with it's evil denizens, and had saved her. The image of Harryworried about her, comforting her, and the way he smiled even through his pain as he led them out of the Chamber was forever engrained in her mind. Harry was so brave. Harry was her Knight. Harry would always protect her, and would never harm her. She knew that. Even if they never became a couple, or got married, or all that good stuff, she would always think of Harry as someone she could count on, and the boy who had saved her life.

But even all that, Harry being her Knight, and saving her...it was not why she had wanted to be with him. Harry was...well, Harry. She couldn't explain it any more than that. It seemed that whatever he did, just being himself, drew her to him. How can you explain to someone that you love them because they butter their toast two times in the forward direction, and then always one time in the backwards direction. Harry did that. It was cute, it was silly, it was...Harry.

She had decided. All she had to do, was actually do it. How could she let him know that she knew? She wasn't sure. Just tell him. No, she couldn't. He'd be embarassed, and it would ruin everything. Tell him. I can't just tell him, he'd be mortified if he knew I'd overheard him! TELL HIM! She was arguing with herself now. How would Harry react? What would Ron say? What would her parents think? What would Michael say when they broke up? She tried to determine the answers to these myriad questions that were dancing through her mind, but in the end she gave up. It didn't matter. Harry mattered.

Do it. Tell him. You can do it Ginny. Walk in there, and tell him. She was trying to will herself to move. Slowly she slid up the wall to a standing position. She took a step forward, not making a sound. Keep going. Keep moving. To the kitchen. Tell Harry how you feel. Do it. He would be mad that she had overheard him. He wouldn't want to talk about it, and would probably disappear into Ron's room for a week, avoiding her completely. Her foot faltered. No, she couldn't. He wants you. He wants to be with you Ginny. Do you want to be with him, or not?

What would it be like to be with Harry? To love him, to be with him, to grow old with him? Images of their future together fluttered in her mind. Harry telling her that he loved her. Harry holding her. She started to blush now. She imagined being intimate with Harry. What would that be like? Her breathing was becoming a bit erratic now, and her cheeks were flushed. Not now Ginny, she reminded herself. TIme enough for that later!, she added. Her breathing was returning to normal. Having Harry's children. Being a wife to Hary, and a mother to his kids. Was this what she wanted? Yes!

She steeled herself. She could do this. She walked into the kitchen now, confidently. It seemed like hours had passed, but in reality it had only been a moment or so since Harry's confession. Harry realized instantly that he was not alone. His head spun around as quick as lightning and the schocked expression on his face gave way to nervousness as he began to wonder if she had heard what he had said. The look on his face was priceless.

"Hi Harry." Ginny said with a smile.

Harry's worried look seemed to diminish a bit, and it looked like he was beginning to believe by Ginny's calm tone, and composed face that she hadn't heard what he said. Now it was time. It was all or nothing. If she was ever going to tell him, it was right now.

"So...when did you start calling me Ginevra?" she asked with a laugh.

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review! I see a lot of people favoriting this story without reviewing. That makes me sad! If you like it, or don't...let me know. It's what inspires me to keep on going! Don't make me have Harry dump Ginny for Dolores Umbridge or anything! :-s lol.**


	3. Ginny's Touch

**Ginny's Touch**

"So...when did you start calling me Ginevra?" she asked with a laugh.

Harry's heart stopped beating. His lungs refused to draw breath. His eyes opened wide as the realization hit him. Ginevra? Ginny had heard him call her Ginevra? Then that must mean... No, no, no! She had heard him! His face drained of all colour now as he thought about it. But wait. Why wasn't Ginny mad? Why was she smiling?

He looked at her intently. There was no trace of anger in her face, or even in her voice. She...wasn't mad? He searched her eyes. Oh...those eyes. They seemed to shine even brighter for him now. His vision blurred a bit. Oh right...breathe. He took a breath, and exhaled deeply. As he did so, he closed his eyes for a moment. Ginny watched him thoughtfully, waiting for his response to her question.

"For awhile now..." Harry replied in little more than a whisper. Ginny craned her neck straining to hear his soft whisper. He looked down at the table nervously, and then thought better of it. He looked back up, and looked Ginny right in her eyes. "You've been Ginevra to me for awhile" he admitted more loudly. His voice was breaking a bit, as it often did when he was nervous. But she had heard him, and her smile grew wider.

She reached her hand across the table slowly. Harry watched it intently, almost afraid to move. Ginny watched too, as her hand slowly closed the distance between them. Their fingers touched now, and it felt to Harry as if an electricity was flowing through him. His stomach got butterflies, and his hair felt as if it would stand on end due to static. She moved her finger lightly against his own. Such a light touch, a gentle caress, but what things it did to him! He closed his eyes, and his breathing slowed. He felt as if he was leaving his body, as if his soul was soaring freely. This was tranquil. This was peace. This was what men must dream, and fight and die for, he thought to himself.

Ginny's touch...like everything about her was so delicate. She continued to move her one finger lightly across his, and marveled at the result. She took in Harry's reaction with both wonder, and awe. She affected him so profoundly by barely touching him, she realized. How deep must be his love, and how long has he waited for this she wondered. She felt a spark too, but even so...Harry seemed to be transforming before her eyes. His nervousness, awkardness - it all disappeared. He was at peace now as she rhythmically moved her finger against his own. She let her finger glide over the back of his hand now, and let it lightly run across his soft skin. Harry wasn't moving. If not for the gentle rise and fall of his chest, he may have been a statue. She slowly removed her hand, and watched him now, as if mesmerized.

Harry opened his eyes, and blinked several times. He looked as if he was waking from a very long slumber. His eyelids fluttered several times, and then he looked at her. His emerald eyes seemed hazy now - no longer sharp, and glowing, but full of an inner peace she could only guess at. He smiled at her softly.

"Sorry about that..." he said with some effort. He smiled at her softly once more, still relishing the lingering effects of her touch on him. She nodded slightly, her gesture letting him know it was okay.

She smiled wider now too, still amazed at the effect a simple touch from her had on Harry. Harry had saved her life. Harry had saved Hogwarts. Harry had faced Voldemort. Was his only weakness - Ginevra?, she asked herself astounded. The answer didn't really matter, but one thing was for sure - if she had any doubt about Harry's feelings for her(and she hadn't) it was answered.

"Why do you call me Ginevra?" Ginny asked him playfully. "You've always called me Ginny before..." she added before he could answer.

"I...well...I don't know. I only call you Ginevra when I think of you in a certain way..." Harry admitted with some difficulty. Ginny's eyes lit up mischeviously now.

"In what way?" she prodded him.

"Well...when I think about being..." he trailed off, and his cheeks took on a rose coloured hue. Ginny was starting to enjoy this.

"About being...?" she repeated, prompting him to continue. Harry lost her gaze now, and looked at his hands.

"About being..._with _you." he managed to say after a bit of hesitation, unsure and slightly uneasy about where this conversation was going.

"I'm with you now. Am I Ginevra now?" she asked playfully.

"Well...yes, and no. You're sort of always Ginevra, because you're the one...I want to be with. But...right now, we're just sitting here, so you are also Ginny." he tried to explain.

Ginny understood now. This conversation was VERY enlightening. She liked how Harry was finally opening up to her about how he felt, and his feelings for her.

"Take my hand..." she said, as she began to rise from the table. Harry glanced at her hand, back to her face, and then her hand again. He moved his hand to hers, and allowed her to guide him from his seat until he stood before her. She still held her hand in his, and he could feel the electricity building once more.

"Close your eyes Harry." she whispered softly. Harry obeyed her with only a moment's hesitation. She let go of his hand, and Harry missed it's warm touch almost immediately. He could hear movement. He could hear the floor creak slightly as Ginny began walking. He could hear the soft rustle of her clothes as she moved. Now that his eyes were closed, all his remaining senses were heightened. He could smell the soft hint of her perfume in the air. Like everything else about her, it smelled perfect to him. He could tell she was standing behind him now. He could feel her closeness. The light scent of her perfume was just a little bit stronger now. He could almost feel the closeness of her body next to his. His heartrate was dropping again, and his breathing slowed once more. She was so near now, he could almost feel the millimeters disappearing between them.

He felt her arms wrap around him, as she pulled him close to her. He could feel the soft strands of her silky hair spilling over his shoulder, and across his cheek as she rested her head on his shoulder. He could smell her hair now. It smelled of strawberry fields, and he inhaled deeply, relishing the closeness of her to him. He could stay like this forever, he thought. But forever, it turned out, was very short.

There was a sharp click, and the kitchen door opened.

Harry opened his eyes, and Ginny raised hers to find themselves standing face to face with the rest of the Weasley's. They'd returned from their shopping, and seemed to have caught Ginny and Harry unaware. The Weasley's eyes seemed to be everywhere at once. Looking at Harry, looking at Ginny's head resting on his shoulder, looking at her fingers laced round his chest.

Arthur Weasley had a curious, but otherwise neutral expression on his face. Molly Weasley looked somewhat concerned. Ginny's brothers on the other hand looked none too pleased at this unexpected turn of events. Ron broke the silence.

"What's all this about, then?" he asked, his voice laced with anger.

**A/N: Thanks for reading, and reviewing. Big thanks to all those who reviewed so far! Keep reviewing for more timely updates to this story! :-D**

**PS I know this story is starting off slow. It will be "M" eventually, but right now I am focusing on their feelings for each other. And honestly, I like writing about how Harry is affected by just simple touches from Ginny. Although, it kinda makes me wonder what is gonna happen as their physical relationship progresses. lol. ;-)**

**Also, two chapters in one evening! I'm sort of inspired now, even though some people aren't taking my "Review or else!" threat seriously. lol. **


	4. Talking with Molly and Ron

**Talking with Molly and Ron**

"What's all this about, then?" he asked, his voice laced with anger.

Ginny withdrew her arms quickly from around Harry's chest, and took a step away from him. He missed her closeness immediately. The soft scent of strawberries still hung in the air, but the electricity that he could almost feel flowing through his body when she touched him, began to ebb. He opened his mouth to speak, but Ginny was quicker.

Ginny played innocent. It was a good way to go. And technically she was innocent, she thought - Harry and her had done nothing wrong, or out of sorts, so she pulled it off masterfully.

"What do you mean?" she asked in a confused tone.

"What do I mean? You had your arms practically all over...Harry!" Ron said exasperated. He looked at Harry now as he spoke, with a hint of betrayal in his eyes.

Ginny was getting annoyed now. First of all, it was none of their business if she wanted to give Harry a hug! Secondly, she was tired of having to explain to her brothers how every boy she'd dated wasn't some evil monster that they had to protect her from. She could look after herself! She wasn't a little girl anymore. It all came to a boiling point within her instantly.

"My arms were NOT all over Harry. For your information Ronald...I was giving Harry a hug. We we're just now talking, and he seemed to need it. Am I not allowed to hug the person who SAVED MY LIFE! Not that it is any business of yours what I do, and you'd best remember that Ron! " she said, her voice rising shrilly until she stopped speaking. She crossed her arms across her chest daring Ron to say one thing...just one more thing about it.

Ron had shrunk back a bit at Ginny's rage, and seemed to be second guessing himself, and what he had thought he had seen. He wasn't sure what to say now, but one thing he knew for sure, was that he was positive he'd never survive another Ginny outburst at the moment. She glared at him now with an intensity he'd never seen. She seemed to be smouldering with anger and rage now. He'd have to have a talk to Harry, but it wouldn't be right now, and it wouldn't be with Ginny anywhere near.

"Okay, okay. It was nothing." he held up his hands innocently, as he spoke. "Just was surprising, is all. Wasn't expecting that when we walked through the door" He looked around at the other Weasley's for support. Fred and George kind of mumbled "Yeah. Surprising..." but their eyes were either on each other, or looking away from Ginny and Harry as they spoke.

It was Harry's turn to speak now.

"Yeah...I was feeling kind of down, and we were talking, and Ginny decided to give me a friendly hug." He shrugged his shoulders as if to emphasize that he didn't think it was worth any of the fuss. "It kind of surprised me too" he added with a chuckle.

The air was kind of tense now. No one moved for a few seconds.

"Oh honestly!" Ginny exclaimed, and threw her arms up in the air in frustration, and then stormed up the stairs in a huff. A few seconds later they heard her door close with a bit of a slam. Harry exhaled slowly.

"All right, then?" he asked to know one in particular. There were nods, and mutters from the rest of the family.

"That'll take some fixing..." Molly whispered, and then shook her head a bit. She gave Harry a bit of a smile though, before she headed up the stairs after Ginny.

Mrs Weasley hesitated outside Ginny's door. She wanted to talk to her daughter, but was debating whether or not now was the time, or not. She moved closer to the door, and listened. She heard a muffled sob inside the room. Oh dear. She knocked once, and got no answer. She knocked again, and this time there was a reply.

"Just go away" Ginny said desperately. "I don't want to talk."

"Ginny dear...please. Let me in, won't you?" Mrs Weasley pleaded. She waited. After a few seconds she heard a click and Ginny opened the door. Mrs Weasley's eyes misted over as she saw Ginny glaring, but with tear moistened cheeks. Ginny was really upset over this, she noticed, concerned.

She entered the room, and pulled Ginny into a hug, and then closed the door behind her. Ginny held her mom for a few seconds, and Mrs Weasley could feel her daughter's body shudder a few times as she tried to stifle a few more sobs. She sat on the edge of Ginny's bed, with Ginny beside her.

She took Ginny's hand, and held it lightly. "Ginny dear, why are you so upset?" she asked.

"Why? Why? Oh I don't know. A girl can't give her friend a hug without an Inquisition when her brothers get home? Mom...it's Harry!" she said exasperated.

"I know dear. It's Harry. Ron should have known better. He should have known that you and Harry are just friends, and shouldn't have read too much into it." she said as she patted Ginny's shoulder reassuringly.

Ginny shook her head now. She was frustrated beyond belief. It was all wrong. The explanations, the conclusions, and the inferences -it was all wrong, wrong, wrong! She looked up into her mother's eyes.

"Mom? What if Harry and I were not just friends?" she asked plainly. Molly Weasley's eyes opened wide.

"No. I'm not talking about what happened now. We really weren't doing _anything_. But it makes me wonder. What if Harry and I were not just friends? Is this the kind of treatment he and I can expect from Ron, and the rest?" she asked.

"Oh Ginny! They're just concerned for you. You're their little sister..." Molly began.

"I'm not so "little" anymore mom. I know I'm the youngest, but that does not mean that I do not know how to think for myself. And is Harry so bad?" she asked, her voice getting slightly more angry. "Does anyone here even think there is a remote possibility that Harry would ever hurt me, or anyone else in this family?"

Molly exhaled slowly before replying. She thought about what Ginny had said, and the questions she was asking. "No dear. I know Harry wouldn't hurt you." she answered honestly.

Ginny smiled a bit at that admission. It was Mrs Weasley's turn to ask a question.

"Ginny dear. This conversation... Your questions... Has something changed in the way you think about Harry?" she asked.

Has something changed? She felt like screaming now. Not at her mother though. It was just at the ridiculousness of life. Something changed? Oh...only the boy you had a crush on since you were a little girl admitting that he wants to be with you, while you are dating someone else, and then having your family assume the worst when they catch you giving him a hug? Harry calls me Ginevra...wants to be with me...felt this way for a while...and seems to have been longing for me to touch him for so long, that just caressing his hand causes him to practically turn into a bowl of quivering pudding! Oh no...what could possibly have changed from this morning, about my feelings for Harry? This day was crazy!

Ginny began to laugh. She laughed, and laughed, and her mom stared at her intently, and worried about her daughter possibly losing her mind. Slowly Ginny came down from her hysterical laughter. The laughs slowly turned into sobs now, and the tears streamed down her face again. Ginny looked at her mom, and her inner strength seemed to break. She shuddered now, and the frustration, the anger, the annoyance, the helplessness - she let it wash out of her in a steady stream of tears. Molly pulled her close, and patted her back, all the while wearing a concerned expression, and wondering what on earth could have happened in only a few hours. Ginny's tears stopped again, and after some hesitation she pulled away, and finally spoke to her worried mother.

"You know how I used to feel about Harry when I was a little girl?" she asked her, wiping away her tears.

"Yes dear. I remember..." Molly answered. Ginny nodded to her now, and Mrs Weasley understood immediately what Ginny didn't say with words. Mrs Weasley understood now. Yes, that would do it. She wasn't sure what exactly had happened, or even why...but she understood that nod, and she knew exactly how Ginny felt now, and why she was so upset at their reaction. She knew what to do.

"Ah..." she said, and her mouth formed a smile. "Don't you pay what happened any mind dear. We'll get this fixed up Ginny, don't you worry." she said as she gave Ginny a kiss on the forehead as she got up from the bed, and made her way to the door.

"Thanks mom..." Ginny said appreciatively. Ginny was thankful her mother understood, and wasn't mad at her, or Harry. Like most mother's Mrs Weasley understood her daughter, and knew exactly what she needed, and was going to give it to her.

Harry was still in the kitchen with the male Weasley's.

"Well...best get these things upstairs, eh Fred?" George said a little too matter of factly.

"Yeah. Don't want to clutter up the kitchen with all this lot..." Fred replied, eyeing his school stuff.

"Well, see you later Harry..." they both said in unison as they made their way upstairs with their things.

Arthur Weasley excused himself with an awkward cough, and an excuse that he'd best go put on a change of clothes. That left Harry and Ron alone in the kitchen. Harry knew what was coming.

"So Harry...fancy a walk outside?" Ron asked innocently. Harry could tell by his expression there wasn't much innocence there. But he'd have to face Ron sooner or later, so now was as good a time as any.

"Alright..." he said, and the two left the house. It was a beautiful summer's day out, but neither he nor Ron would be talking much about the weather. They walked a bit in silence until they were out of earshot from the house. Once there, Ron stopped, and turned to him.

"Harry...what's all this about Ginny giving you hugs?" Ron asked. "That's a bit strange, don't you think?" he continued before Harry could answer the first question.

"Yeah. Strange. She must've thought I needed one." Harry answered carefully. As he spoke he was thinking about how to diffuse this minefield of questions he knew Ron would fire at him. He cared for Ginny so much, but Ron was his best friend. How could he let Ron know how he felt, without him feeling resentment towards him, or Ginny. He wondered how things would change between them if Ginny and he were in a relationship. How would Ron take it if his "little sister" was always around his friends. Harry knew Ron loved Ginny, but how many brother's want to hang out with their little sister? Harry sighed.

"So what were you talking about, mate?" Ron fired another question.

"Does it really matter? Or do you actually need a reason to be more mad at me right now?" Harry asked him.

"It matters to me..." Ron said seriously. "And I'm not mad." he said unconvincingly. But then he added "Yet." which explained his unconvincing tone.

"We were talking about me." Harry answered him coolly.

"About you?"

"Yeah. About me. I called her Ginevra." Harry said plainly.

Ron's eyes bulged. "Ginevra? Since when do you call her that?" Ron asked actually amused now. His eyes became serious again though, as he added "Lucky she didn't take your head off for it. She doesn't prefer it to Ginny, I'll tell you that!"

"Oh, I don't think she minds it too much when I say it..." Harry trailed off a bit.

"What's that mean?" Ron asked him accusingly. Harry was getting tired of this. He knew Ron was just being protective of Ginny, but as his best friend, you'd think he could be a little more understanding. Harry walked a little bit off the path they'd been walking on, and sat on the grass. Ron gave him a look as if to say "What on earth are you doing?" But it was Harry's turn to ask the questions now. At least he figured.

"Ron. Do you think I would ever hurt Ginny, or anyone else in your family, for that matter?" he asked him, as his eyes looked off in the distance at a bird circling.

"Well no. I don't think you would, now that you've asked me." he answered turning a bit red in the cheek.

"Would you ever hurt Hermione?" Harry asked him now.

"Hermione? Well no. But what's she got to do with anything?" Ron asked him now, baffled.

Oh give it up Ron! Like I don't know that you've had a thing for Hermione since practically forever, Harry thought to himself. I'm your best friend, and you think I've not noticed the way you look at her, and she at you? The stolen moments the two of you share when you think I won't notice? All these things ran through his head. But he didn't say them. If Ron wanted to keep his pretence of innocence up, then so be it. All Harry did was arch his eyebrows to Ron's question about what Hermione had to do with anything. Ron's eyes opened wide now, as a light bulb went off in his head.

"I like her Ron. Ginny, I mean. Not Hermione. Well I like her too, only not like I like Ginny." Harry managed to get out awkwardly.

Ron sat down beside him now. He didn't look at him, only stared off in the distance at the same bird Harry'd watch circling a moment before.

"I reckon she could do a lot worse than you, Harry. A LOT worse." he admitted finally. "Things will change between us, won't they?"

"Not so much Ron. You're still my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without you and Hermione." Harry stated truthfully.

"Wouldn't be so bad without us, now would it? So long as you had Ginny around, you'd manage wouldn't you?" Ron said as he punched Harry playfully in the shoulder. It wasn't as easy as that for Ron to accept this, but he knew it was inevitable now, and the sooner he got to getting used to the idea of Harry and Ginny, the smoother things would be.

"Indeed I would Ron. Indeed I would." Harry smiled back at him. They sat in silence for a few moments, neither one speaking.

"I just thought of something!" Ron said suddenly, startling Harry. "Ginny's dating Michael already!"

Harry raised his eyebrows at Ron before he replied. "Yeah I know. But between you and me..." Harry leaned in closer to whisper a confidence, "I don't think it's going to last..."


	5. Midnight Revelations

**Midnight Revelations**

Harry was worried. He'd not seen Ginny since she'd stormed up to her room. That was hours ago. Supper had come and went, and still Ginny remained in her room. She was noticeably absent at supper. This concerned Harry a great deal. He didn't know what her and her mother had spoken about, but wasn't about to ask either. Still though, after what had happened this afternoon, it was driving him crazy not to be able to speak to her about what she'd overheard. Was she mad at him? She didn't seem to be at the time - at least not to his mind. He could still remember the way she spoke to him, asked him her questions, and gazed with wonder at how he acted when she had ran her finger lightly over his hand.

Harry sighed now. He could almost feel it once more. The feeling, the emotion, the intensity that simple action evoked from him was hard to explain. Even now, hours after, he wasn't sure what had happened exactly. It was wondrous, it was fantastic, it was hard to explain! It was as if all the positive emotions one could experience were condensed into one single beam of light which was focused directly at him. That beam seemed to encompass him, enveloping him in it's warmth. When he felt it wash over him, it was pure bliss. But, what was it exactly?

Harry glanced over at the clock beside his bed. Midnight. He'd been staring at the ceiling now for an hour, trying to make sense of his feelings, and wondering how Ginny was. He'd probably not sleep at all this night, he realized immediately. His mind was abuzz with questions, unexplained feelings, desires and wants, and all seemed to be fighting for his immediate attention.

From the other side of the room, Ron snored now. Harry glanced over, amused. He'd been sleeping in a spare bed set up in Ron's room. Ron never failed to snore. Harry was used to it by now. But tonight, he needed to think. He needed clarity. He surely wasn't going to get any of that here. He rolled out of bed soundlessly, and hurriedly put on his previously discarded clothing. A minute later, he was descending the stairs silently, safely hidden under his invisibility cloak. He didn't want anyone to know he was sneaking out, so this seemed to be the best option.

Harry quietly made his way downstairs, expertly dodging all the squeaky stairs on the old staircase. Downstairs, all was quiet. Only a soft light from a single dim lamp was burning now. Everyone must be asleep, even Mr and Mrs Weasley, Harry deduced. Maybe he didn't need his invisibility cloak after all, he realized. No matter, never hurts to be overprepared.

Harry made his way to the kitchen door and opened it slowly. It began to creak instantly, and Harry slowed his movement to barely a crawl. The squeaking door continued to protest it's movement, although at a lower volume and intensity as previously. Slowly, the door opened and Harry slipped outside.

Harry took a deep breath. The cool, damp air filled his nostrils now. His head seemed to be clearing now. He was feeling slightly refreshed after only a minute. He slipped his invisibility cloak off, and walked slowly along the garden. He let his fingers trail across the flaking paint on the fencing as he walked. He let his fingers continue to drift across the old wood as he walked a bit farther from the house. At the end of the fence, he stopped. He looked up at the sky now. The moon seemed to light up the sky. All around it, the twinkling stars seemed to be fighting for his attention. The night sky, away from city lights, was breathtaking. He looked around now, for a suitable place to gaze, and found one quickly enough. He plunked himself down, and put his hands behind his head. Laying on his back, he looked up at the sky, and his thoughts turned from the heavenly bodies up there, to Ginny Weasley.

Ginny lay on her bed, still in her night clothes. Her eyes stared unseeing straight up at the ceiling. She hadn't seen Harry since she'd stormed up to her room earlier. The last person she spoke with was her mother, before she left her. It wasn't that she didn't want to see anyone...it was just that she needed to be alone to sort out her feelings. She didn't know what to do. She was so confused. She'd spent most of the evening staring at this same ceiling. Her emotions seemed to have been turned inside out by Hary's unexpected confession. In one instant, her world had been turned on edge. Funny how much power a few words can have...

How did she feel about Harry? How did she feel about Michael? What did she want? More importantly - who did she want? She already knew that she cared a lot about Harry. She cared about Michael too. She knew the depth of her feelings for Harry outweighed Michael's. But although the feelings might be more, they were of a different nature for each. She asked herself about her feelings for Harry - did she love him? She'd hid these feelings for Harry so deeply for so long. She hadn't really thought about him like that in a long while either. She had grown used to just being Harry's friend. And now...Harry wanted to be more than friends.

She still thought about Harry sometimes as other than a friend. Sometimes he would do or say something, and give her that look...and she would remember. She'd remember what it felt like to be in love with him. She'd remember what it felt like to want to be with him for now and always. It never lasted too long though. She'd purposely made herself stop thinking about that, chastising herself for such thoughts about him.

And now, she decided it did not matter if she loved him. Well, to clarify, it mattered a lot! But, what did not matter to her now, was that if she felt she was in love with him now, as he was with her. What really seemed important, and the question she now found herself struggling with - was did she want to give herself a chance to fall back in love with Harry? She debated this for several long moments silently. It had not been easy to give up on Harry the first time, and she even admitted it had not worked completely. She exhaled slowly now, and got up from her bed. She moved to the window, and began to look outside. She stared up at the moon, as if asking for guidance. Her thoughts continued to dance around in her head. She shook her head slightly, as if to clear it. She was about to leave the window, when she sensed movement beneath her. Her pulse began racing now, and she slipped her dressing gown on, and slipped downstairs.

"Harry?" he heard from the darkness. His eyes blinked, and he scrambled to his feet, grasping for his wand immediately. His emerald eyes sharpened now, and he scanned the darkness, listening for any sound of movement.

"It's only me..." he heard Ginny say in an amused tone.

Harry lowered his wand now, and could see movement now. Ginny appeared now, bathed in moonlight. She was wearing her dressing gown, pyjamas, and a pair of slippers.

"Ginny? What are you doing out here?" he asked her confused.

"I could ask you the same Harry..." she replied jokingly. Harry was relieved now to not hear any anger in her voice.

"I couldn't sleep..." Harry answered her truthfully. As he watched, Ginny closed the distance to him. As she walked, the moonlight and stars illuminated her face. She was so beautiful. The way the soft moonlight played across her forehead, her cheeks, lighting up her lips softly - it was as if it was all choreographed simply to draw him to her.

"It was the funniest thing..." Ginny began. "I was in my room, staring out the window, alone with my thoughts...and lo and behold, what do I see? Harry Potter suddenly appearing before my eyes!" she finished.

Harry didn't reply to that comment. He did return his wand to his pocket however. Ginny took a step closer to him now. She searched his face earnestly. "Why are you out here Harry? It could be dangerous for you..." she cautioned him.

"Dangerous." Harry repeated lightly. Harry didn't know what to do, or say. Harry felt like screaming now. He thought about all the challenges he'd overcome so far in his young life. Saving the Philosopher's Stone, his battles in the Chamber of Secrets, conquering the Tri Wizard Tournament, fighting Death Eaters, squaring off with Voldemort! It all seemed so easy compared to this. He hated it. He hated feeling so helpless. Why didn't he know what to do? He was frustrated beyond all measure.

He sat down in the cool grass now. Ginny eyed him curiously as he did so. His breathing had increased. Even in the moonlight she could see the rise and fall of his shoulders as he drew breath rapidly. He hung his head now, and Ginny struggled to make sense of his body movements.

"Harry? Are you alright?" she asked him, concern in her voice. Harry was acting quite odd, in her opinion.

"No." he replied abruptly.

"No?" she repeated bewildered now, more than ever.

Harry struggled to remain in control now. Ginny's voice - it seemed to pervade every inch of his being. That sweet melodic melody that was every syllable, seemed to focus inside of him, and expand outward bathing his every cell with it's brilliance. Harry couldn't think. His head hurt. His heart was racing. When will it stop? He couldn't take this anymore. This was torture. This was worse than an unforgiveable curse. A tear rolled down Harry's cheek now. Another followed, then another..

There was a flurry of movement. White silk blurred in front of him. He felt Ginny's hands on his cheeks. She was in front of him now, his chest was still heaving, and the tears continued to fall. Her delicate hands gently guided his head upwards until his gaze met hers. Worry was etched on her face now, and she met Harry's eyes earnestly.

"Look at me, Harry. Tell me what is wrong...?" she asked.

Harry shook his head. He didn't know what to say. He never knew what to say. This...it was like someone's cruel joke on him. It felt as if a dam were about to burst inside him. There was so much he wanted to tell her, but words failed him. He knew what he wanted to say, just couldn't find the words. It was as if the words dangled tantalizingly close, only to be ripped away at the last moment.

"I'm wrong!" he said somewhat angrily now. "I don't know what to do! I don't know what to say! It's like I'm,...broken, or something!"

Ginny pulled Harry close to her now. Harry was sobbing on her shoulder, and she was rubbing his back soothingly. She didn't know what to do, either. But she would try her best to calm Harry.

"Shh...it's alright Harry" she whispered softly. "I'm here. I'm here..." she continued to whisper.

Slowly Harry calmed down. Ginny could feel his breathing slowing, and his body stopped shuddering. Ginny continued to hold him for several more minutes. Finally, she pulled away from him slightly, and looked at him once more. Harry sat looking at her silently. Seconds passed, and he slowly let out a long breath.

"I feel like I'm broken." he reiterated to Ginny, after a few seconds.

"Broken? Harry...you are not broken. Why would you say that?" she asked him, stunned.

"I just feel broken. I feel like I can't do anything right around you. I can't say what I want to say. I can't tell you..." he trailed off.

"Why can't you?" Ginny asked, amazed at what Harry was saying. She'd never heard him talk like this, or seen him act like this ever before.

Harry tried to tell her. He opened his mouth, but nothing came. He put his hands on his head, his mouth open in a silent scream as he struggled to find the words. It was no use. But she had to know... If he could only describe it. He pointed to the sky now.

"The stars!" he said excitedly. Ginny followed his finger, glancing at the night sky. Her eyes glanced back at Harry, and then to the night sky again.

"They're for you." Harry tried to explain. Ginny blinked.

"For me?" Ginny asked him, completely perplexed.

"Those stars...are for you. Endless amounts of stars in the night sky...their light has travelled for thousands, millions, maybe even billions of years. Billions of light years away..." Harry whispered. "Some aren't even there anymore. They've long since disappeared. But their light...it still shines for you."

"Harry...the stars don't shine for me. They shine for everybody..." she tried to convince him.

"No." Harry shook his head. "They shine for you Ginny." Harry's eyes became distant now, and his voice was little more than a whisper.

"They shine...so they can illuminate your beautiful face." Harry said, and his eyes suddenly became focused now. He was watching Ginny intently. His eyes were a brilliant blazing green now as he looked at her. There was such a depth of emotion in his eyes.

"They shine...to show off the perfection of your skin." he continued, and Ginny watched astounded as Harry ran his finger across her smooth cheek. Her eyelids fluttered slightly, and her cheeks tinted pink, even as he caressed them.

"They shine...to reveal the softness of your lips." Harry's finger ran over Ginny's lips now, and she found it difficult to breathe. Her eyelids felt heavy, and her heart skipped a beat as his finger trailed over her mouth.

Harry let his hand fall to his side now. Ginny was watching him wide-eyed, with a look of absolute amazement on her face. He shrugged his shoulders slightly, and shook his head.

"That's how I feel. It's for you. It's all for you. Everything is for you... The stars, the sun, the moon, the grass, the clouds, the rain, the wind, everything...it's all for you. I just don't know how to tell you." Harry said exasperated.

"I think you just did..." Ginny whispered. Her lips were trembling, and tears began cascading down her cheeks as she raced towards him...

**A/N: Thanks for reading. Review if you like it. Let me know what you think so far.**


	6. Questions and Answers

**Questions and Answers**

"I think you just did..." Ginny whispered. Her lips were trembling, and tears began cascading down her cheeks as she raced towards him...

It seemed as if everything had slowed down for Ginny. Time no longer existed for her. Her mind struggled to comprehend the enormity of what Harry had just told her. Those four words seemed to echo in her mind now, over and over. "Everything is for you." Harry had said. It seemed like one of those things that people said all the time, but rarely did they mean it. But with Harry, he meant it. She could still see the fire burning in his eyes as he described how the stars shone for her. That statement was so profoundly powerful to her. Hearing Harry describe how all those stars, shining for billions of years, existed solely to show off her features under the night sky – it was such an epic expression of emotion.

Tears were falling down her cheeks, she realized. When had she started crying? Each tear drop blurred her vision slightly before being freed to travel down the soft slopes of her cheeks. Her foot touched the ground now. She was running. When had that happened? As her mind wrestled with Harry's revelations, her body had decided to move of its own accord. She was running to Harry now. Each step brought her closer to him, although it seemed like an eternity between footfalls. He stood there, unmoving, watching her, with those beautiful emerald eyes burning into her soul.

She wanted to be in his arms. She wanted him to hold her. She had to know that this was real. Oh, please don't let this be a dream! Her foot hit the ground again. Another step closer to Harry. She outstretched her arms now, to make the distance between them seem less than it was. Her fingers reached towards Harry now, desperate to feel him. She left another footprint in the grass. She was almost there.

Ginny's fingers reached Harry's hand now. She felt her fingers interlock with his own. She pulled him towards her, destroying the last trace of space between them. She felt her body crush against his. Her arms folded around him now, pulling him tight to her. She felt his arms wrap around her. It was real! She could feel his warmth all around her. Her tears seemingly evaporated now.

She held herself close to him, loving the feeling of comfort his arms provided her. She bent her head slightly, letting it rest on Harry's chest as he cradled her in his arms. She could hear his heart beating. Ba-bump. "That's how I feel." Ba-bump. "It's for you." Ba-bump. "It's all for you." Ba-bump. "Everything is for you." Each beat seemed to reaffirm Harry's earlier statements to her. She closed her eyes, listening intently to each thump in his chest. This heart, Harry's heart – it was beating for her!

This was comfort. This was safe. This was a haven like no other. Words couldn't describe the safety Ginny felt now. In these arms, nothing could ever hurt her. Hogwarts, Gringott's – they were nothing compared to the protection Harry's arms seemed to offer her. His embrace, felt like the most natural thing in the world to her. She felt no shyness, and no awkwardness now. She knew that in these arms, she was Ginevra. She was the one Harry wanted to be with. Always.

She didn't know how long she stayed locked in Harry's embrace. Neither of them spoke. No words seemed necessary. She closed her eyes, blocking out everything except the feel of Harry next to her. She concentrated on Harry. His breathing was focused. She could hear the steady intake and exhale of each breath. Every time Harry exhaled, it seemed to flood her senses with more and more of his presence. Her eyelids began fluttering now as she allowed herself to become overwhelmed by him. His warmth, his touch, his smell - all seemed to be fighting to see which could intoxicate her the most.

There is no place in the world like this, Ginny thought. Everything else would just pale in comparison. How could she ever leave these arms? Why would she ever leave this bastion of security? It seemed like the most illogical thing to consider – ever wanting to leave Harry's hold on her. But she had to look at him. She had to ask him...

She pulled away now, hating every second she felt his aura around her diminishing. As she slowly moved away from him, she let his arms fall to her side. She grasped his fingers with her own, and kept their bodies connected even though they stood at little less than arm's length apart. She studied his face now under the pale moonlight. Harry's eyes were closed, and his lips were turned up into the smallest smile. His face was an expression of contentment. She knew he was feeling as she did – warm, safe, comfortable.

"Harry?" she whispered now.

Harry's eyes opened slightly now at the sound of her voice. Half-closed, his eyes seemed to be struggling to focus. Harry looked at her, and his eyes opened fully. She could see the sparkle in his eye. As he looked at her, Ginny could almost imagine those rich green eyes pulsing with an unseen intensity.

"Why didn't you ever tell me...?" Ginny asked him, her voice cracking slightly as she did so. The corners of her eyes were moist, as she waited for Harry's response. She wrestled with this question now. Why hadn't Harry ever told her how he felt about her? When had his feelings changed? Why had she never had any idea about how he felt towards her? If she had not overheard him in the kitchen yesterday, would he ever had done anything, said anything, to let her know? It was boggling to her mind that she might never have known how Harry felt about her except by an accident. She had to know why.

Harry kept his hands entwined with Ginny's. His head cocked to the side now, as he considered her question. He closed his eyes for several seconds, and then opened them.

"I don't know Ginny." He replied. Ginny opened her mouth now, but Harry held up his hand forestalling her immediate reply.

"I know it sounds like an excuse. Or like I don't want to tell you. But I don't know. I honestly don't know." His voice was calm as he spoke, but near the end, it began to rise in pitch.

Harry let his fingers fall from Ginny's grasp and he took a step away from her. He shook his head sadly. Why didn't he tell her? Why had he kept his feelings from her all this time? He already knew why. It was the same reason why he couldn't tell her now. He opened his mouth. Ginny moved towards him minutely, as if to speed up his response.

"It's not been easy for me. Seeing you...feeling like this...and not letting you know. I tried. I tried so many times. I just couldn't do it." he whispered now. Ginny stood like a statue as she listened to his voice. "Even now...I can't seem to do it. I'll try though..."

Harry's mouth hung open now. Ginny waited for the sound to come, but it never did. Harry paced back and forth now, his hands clenching. He hung his head, frustrated. He looked up, right into Ginny's eyes. Just tell her. TELL HER! Do it Harry! His mouth opened and closed several times, and then it snapped shut. As Ginny watched, waiting for the reply that never came, she saw his green eyes seemingly crack. Harry's once blazing eyes, seemed like a sheet of green glass now. His eyes seemed to shatter as she watched. His pacing was beginning to increase. Back and forth, Harry's jaw working furiously as he struggled to answer Ginny's question. Harry's breathing was increasing too, Ginny noted worriedly.

This conversation was going in circles. It was reminiscent of the one Ginny had with him only very recently. The last thing Ginny wanted to do now, was upset Harry. She knew he would never hurt her, but seeing him so frustrated, and sobbing because of his feelings was upsetting to her as well.

Ginny moved to him now, and put her hands on his shoulders. Harry stopped his movement, and she moved one of her hands to his chin. She guided his gaze to meet hers, and held him there.

"It's okay Harry." She whispered.

"No. It's not okay. I..." he began excitedly. Ginny guided a finger from his chin, to his lips, silencing him gently.

"Okay." She said gently. "You can't tell me why. Let's try something else..." she murmured softly.

"The stars. They shine for me...?" she asked him, smiling.

"Yes." Harry replied nodding emphatically.

Ginny hesitated before her next question. She took a deep breath, and her eyes looked at the ground now. She couldn't look into Harry's eyes as she asked this question. Maybe it would be easier for him this way. Truthfully, it was easier for her also. Her stomach had butterflies now. Her pulse began to speed up. She exhaled slowly.

"Do they shine for me...because you love me?" she asked barely audible. She held her breath now, and her heart skipped a beat, as she waited for a reply. She kept her eyes on the ground now, unable to look at Harry. She waited for a sign from Harry that he had heard her, or that he would answer. The seconds ticked away.

She dared to look up now. Harry's mouth was opening and closing once more. His head tilted to the side. His hands were still clenching. He was fighting an inner battle now, but about what Ginny had no idea. It seemed so simple to her, but she was not Harry. A bead of sweat rolled down from Harry's forehead now. Harry was nearly gasping for breath now. Things seemed to be deteriorating rapidly.

"Yes..." he finally managed to gasp, surprising them both. Relief washed over Ginny's face, which mimicked the expression Harry wore. Harry exhaled a long deep breath, as his shoulders shuddered slightly at his admission. Ginny smiled now.

"It's alright Harry..." she said, moving closer to him. Harry looked completely exhausted, completely worn out from his inner battle. There was something going on with Harry, it wasn't hard to figure that out. She wanted to help him through it, and to understand it so she could understand him. But whatever it was, it was going to take time. It wasn't going to happen overnight.

Ginny took Harry in her arms, and he allowed himself to be guided onto the cool grass. He lay there now, breathing deeply. His eyes were focused on Ginny's face. "Close your eyes..." she whispered.

Harry closed his eyes. Ginny sat up beside him, looking down at his still form. Harry was so strong, she always thought. He always seemed to conquer everything that was thrown at him. She was looking at him through different eyes now. Harry was just a young man - a teenager. No matter how brave he was, or what heroic deeds he might accomplish - Harry was human. He had his good days, and his bad days. She wasn't sure how he would classify this day.

Ginny let her finger trail over Harry's chin now, and although Harry's eyes were closed, she could see movement under them. Harry's mouth opened slightly now and hung open. She watched amazed as the anxiety and frustration seemed to wash away from his face. Her finger played over the curve of Harry's cheek now, and his head lolled to the side slightly. Harry let out a long slow breath now as her finger's light caress brushed over him. Her finger lazily traced an invisible pattern across his forehead now. She brushed a stray lock of hair away, and Harry began to whisper.

"Ginevra..." he whispered, calling her by her full name.

"Yes..." Ginny replied, her fingers still working over the features of Harry's face.

"I'm sorry..." he continued. "I should have told you."

"It's alright Harry. I know you couldn't." Ginny whispered back at him. She understood now. Not everything...but she understood enough. If Harry had been able to tell her, he would have. But he couldn't, so he didn't. She didn't know why it was so hard for him, but she was determined to find out some day. Her fingers continued to explore Harry's skin, and Harry looked almost asleep to her eyes. Actually, the more she looked at him, the more exhausted he appeared. He looked completely worn out, now that she thought to notice.

"Harry...we've got to go. You need to go to sleep." she said softly.

Harry scrunched up his face and mumbled something about sleeping in the grass. Ginny laughed at that. Harry's eyes opened at her laugh. She was standing there, with her hand extended. He looked from her hand, to the grass, and thought better of his ill conceived sleeping arrangement. She helped pull him up, and kept her hand in his as they walked back to the house silently.

They crept into the kitchen, and stealthily made their way up the stairs. When they got to Ginny's room, Harry let her hand fall away from his. He looked like he was about to tell her something. Then he glanced around awkwardly, and then seemed to change his mind.

"Good night Ginny. We'll talk again tomorrow?" he asked her nervously.

"Definitely." she replied and gave him a big hug. "But...I've got plans tomorrow afternoon. I'm going to Diagon Alley...with...Michael. We're getting our school supplies. We'll talk when I get back...okay?" she said slowly. Harry didn't reply although his insides felt like a block of ice at the mention of Ginny's boyfriend. He merely nodded his head in acknowledgement. Seconds later he was on his way up the stairs, clinging to the memory of Ginny's soft caresses on his cheek.

Ginny closed the door to her room now. Her emotions were running wild now at tonight's revelations. She replayed their conversation over and over again in her mind. She sighed now, and shook her head. She'd already made her decision. There was only one thing left to do.

"Sorry Michael, but it looks like I'll be breaking up with you tomorrow..." she whispered.

**A/N: Pointless Author's note time again. I wrote this chapter listening to "Somebody" by Depeche Mode. Ya, I grew up in the 1980's. Lol. This version was the Kernfusion Dominatrix remix. Check it out on youtube! I like this version even better than the original! :P And I think it fits perfectly with how Harry feels about Ginny.**


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